A Baby Story
by ioanhoratio
Summary: The episode "Greater Good" told from Danny and Lindsay's point of view. This is the story of Lucy's birth from start to finish. Chapter 2 is the last part of chapter 1. It was the only way I could get it fixed....sorry!
1. Lindsay's POV

**A Baby Story:**

**Part 1Lindsays P.O.V.**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**AN: So I took _Greater Good_ and figured we needed a whole lot more DL. This story is that episode told completely from Danny and Lindsays perspectives. It is about Lindsays labor, Lucys delivery, and will carry through to when they leave the hospital. Now this story is about child birth so I should warn you the details can get a bitgraphic. Birth is definitely a beautiful experience but it is also a horrific one. Thus the paradox of parenthood begins ;). So you have been warned! Also I have outlined this entire story so it might take me a while to write it but I at least know it is going to endunlike some of my stories LOL! I hope you like it.**

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Lindsay was miserable. Her back ached, her ankles were swollen, her hips were sore, her stomach was shoved up into her chest cavity and she had no idea where her lungs had wound up. She only knew that breathing was not as easy as it should be. She was tired from lack of sleep and cranky. She was hot and hormonal and she was in labor...at least she believed she was.

She was really hoping the liquid running down her leg was her water breaking. Although pregnancy had taught her a valuable lesson; her body was a traitor. It had no problem embarrassing her these past nine months so it was absolutely possible she had just peed on herself in the lab. Lindsay shifted slightly. 'No,' she thought, 'that was definitely my water.'

Lindsay took a moment to congratulate herself. At least she and Danny wouldn't be taking trip after trip to the hospital because of false labor. This baby was absolutely on her way. Her victories were small these days so she took it happily. Then slowly the realization that she was going to soon be giving birth sunk in. Lindsay's breath caught in her throat and her mind blanked.

'What should I do do?' she thought frantically as her heart began pounding. To the empty lab she said aloud, "The hospital. I need to go to the hospital. No, wait, I should find Danny. Wait, the doctor, I'll call the doctor. No need to worry Danny until I speak to the doctor. But what about this mess on the floor? Should I call some one? Oh good griefjust get a hold of yourself!"

Lindsay closed her eyes and took the first of what she was sure was going to be many deep breaths and let it out slowly. She closed her eyes and allowed the voice of their birthing instructor to fill her head, "Relax. Work with your body. Try not to tense up and stress. Let this be a beautiful experience and try not to worry too much."

Slightly calmer now Lindsay opened her eyes and pulled out her cell phone. She scrolled through her contacts then waited as she listened to the rings.

"Dr. Reeser's office," a young, cheery voice carried through the speaker.

"Yeah, hi, this is Lindsay Messer. I'm a patient of Dr. Reeser's and I believe my water just broke," Lindsay said steadily.

"Ok. That's M-E-S-S-E-R?" the voice spelled.

"Yes," Lindsay confirmed. The sound of keys typing could be heard tapping through the phone.

"Ok," the voice said again after a pause, "Messer, Lindsay. 38 weeks plus 2 days, correct?"

"That's me," Lindsay said.

"Alright," the voice stated happily, "Just give me a moment."

Before Lindsay could reply, a classical lullaby filled the line as she was placed on hold. Lindsay fought down feelings of irritation as she reminded herself that while this was her first baby and everything was terrifying to her, to them this happened all the time and was no rush.

After a few more deep breaths Lindsay heard the line pick up and the familiar high voice of her doctor, "Lindsay?"

"Yes. Dr. Reeser?" Lindsay asked stupidly. She grimaced slightly at her question wondering if she was going to be air headed all day.

Thankfully the doctor chose to just ignore the question and instead asked, "Are we having a baby today?"

Lindsay smiled, "I hope so. I'm fairly certain my water broke."

"Fairly certain?" Dr. Reeser teased good-naturedly.

Lindsay's smile grew, "Certain. I stood up and felt liquid run down my leg."

"Did it smell?" the doctor inquired.

"Not really. It definitely didn't smell like urine if that's what you're asking," Lindsay answered.

This time the doctor laughed out loud, "Just making sure. Could you tell if the fluid was clear or if it had color?"

"As far as I can tell it was clear," Lindsay answered.

"Great. Have you had any contractions?"

"Nothing serious, I've had a few light contractions since early this morning but that's all." She said it casually but Lindsay remembered Danny anxiously questioning whether she should come to work today. She had argued she would rather be around people who could help her rather than be home alone but right now she was wishing she could hide under her covers.

"OK," the doctor's voice broke through her thoughts, "Normally, we wouldn't have you come in until your labor had progressed further but because your water broke you're at a higher risk for infection so go ahead and head to the hospital. I'll have my office notify them that youre coming. You have some one who can take you? Your husband?"

"Yes, my husband," Lindsay assured her.

"Good," Dr. Reeser said brightly, "Now I would suggest wearing a pad to the hospital since you may leak amniotic fluid and you definitely don't want that on the car seats," she said knowingly.

Lindsay felt herself relax slightly now that she knew what she needed to be doing, "Thank you Dr. Reeser."

"Not a problem. Let's have a baby today shall we?"

The doctor's question sent butterflies through Lindsay's stomach but with confidence she said, "OK."

The phone call was ended and Lindsay couldn't wait another moment to go find Danny. She eyed the mess on the floor and shyly rolled her chair over it. She would just deal with that later. Thank goodness she had on black pants that made it difficult to make out the huge wet spot on them. Lindsay had told Danny that she was convinced the reason a woman was pregnant so long was so she could get used to being a walking embarrassment. She had spent the last nine months vomiting, peeing, crying, farting, swelling, belching, and alternating between constipation and diarrheausually at the most unfortunate moments. Nine months ago the idea of pushing a baby out of her vagina in a room full of strangers had seemed mortifying. Now Lindsay knew it was just par for the course when it came to motherhood. Danny had just laughed at her theory and told her how much he loved her. He must, because he had been witness to all her ailments and had stood by her through each one and had still made her feel beautiful.

'That bastard,' thought Lindsay, 'He should damn well make me fell beautiful. I wouldn't be dealing with any of this if it weren't for him. Now where the hell was he?'

Lindsay had been waddling all over the lab looking for him to no avail.

"Adam," She called out to the young lab tech, "Have you seen Danny?"

Looking up from the report he had been reading, Adam motioned with his pen and said, "He left about 20 minutes ago with Doc to a crime scene on the Upper West Side."

Lindsays brain had gone into overdrive the moment Adam told her Danny was gone. A quick shake of her head to regroup she asked, "What about, uh, Stella or Mac?"

Not realizing what he was committing himself to Adam said easily, "Stella's in court and the Boss took a day off."

Lindsay turned away in disbelief and frustration and just began walking. Not understanding the purpose of Lindsay's questions Adam continued, "Yeah, can you believe it? Mac never takes a day off. I don't think there's been one day since I've worked here that he hasn't shown up. He's like, 'Hey, I'm not coming in.' Ya know? Although he did go to London that one time but I don't...

"Adam!" Lindsay interrupted sharply. She had spent the time he was rambling to consider her options, "OK, enough!"

"What?" Adam asked with quiet concern.

"I just got back from Montana. I...I'm not ready to deal with you," Lindsay griped.

"Ok?" Adam asked slightly confused.

Wondering why nothing in her life could go smoothly, Lindsay knew she had to make a decision, "This is not how I imagined it," she said to no one in particular.

"What?" Adam breathed, clueless to what was happening.

Decision made, Lindsay knew there was no turning back. Grabbing the front of Adam's shirt she pulled him close to her and told him, "I need you to focus Adam."

"OK," he said back, making eye contact.

Speaking fast and frantically Lindsay commanded, "Go get a set of keys to a car, any car, and meet me in the garage in five minutes. My water just broke," Lindsay watched as Adam's mouth dropped open in shock but she couldn't pause, even for a moment, "I'm about to go into labor and _you_ are taking me to the hospital."

He stared at her dumbly with his mouth still hanging open until Lindsay gave him a shove, "Go!"

His response was immediate, "Ok," and he set off to do as he was instructed.

"Adam," Lindsay called out to him impatiently.

"Yeah, wrong way, sorry," he changed directions and threw over his shoulder, "ju...just relax. Every things gonna be ok!"

Lindsay spotted the suitcase she and Danny had packed. She grabbed the handle and smiled. They had planned and prepared for this day. Her baby was coming.

Lindsay wheeled the suitcase to the locker-room and pulled out a clean pair of underwear, a pair of pants, and an extra large pad. She made her way into the handicap stall of the bathroom since it afforded her the extra space needed to maneuver her large belly.

She changed as quickly as she could and immediately began to feel more comfortable. She tossed the soiled underwear into the garbage and hung the pants in her locker. She'd worry about them later too.

She again grabbed her suitcase and headed to the garage. As she waited for the elevator she pulled out her phone and held down the number two. The speed dial immediately connected to Danny's cell.

The elevator arrived just as his phone went to voice mail.

"You've go to be kidding me," Lindsay groaned to the empty lift. To the phone she said calmly, "Hi Danny. It's me. You know your very pregnancy wife. Just calling to let you know my water broke, you're no where to be found and Adam is driving me to the hospital. So, you know, just whenever you get a chance call me." Her sarcastically sweet tone undercut her exasperation at not being able to speak to him. Truthfully she wanted to panic and beg for him to hurry but she knew Danny. She knew he was going to be frantic enough when he hears the message. She needed him to be as calm as possible so if he hears her joking and teasing he was more likely to respond in kind.

She stepped out into the garage and Adam pulled up in one of the lab's trucks. As he climbed out and made his way around the truck, Lindsay threw him a questioning look.

"Hey, you said any car," Adam said defensively, closing his cell phone. He had obviously just finished a phone call and stuffed the object into his pocket. He then grabbed her bag and threw it onto the back seat of the truck's cab.

Lindsay didn't quite know how Mac would feel about them using a company vehicle to take her to the hospital but chose to ignore that too. She was beginning to feel the panic rise again. She really wanted to talk to Danny.

Adam turned and helped her climb into the passengers seat. Once he knew she was in and secure he ran to the other side and jumped in behind the wheel.

"OK, we ready?" he asked her.

Lindsay nodded and told him which hospital and he carefully headed out into traffic.

"Did you get a hold of Danny?" he asked casually.

"No," she answered sadly, "It went to voice mail. Maybe I should try Hawkes."

"Oh...uh...I just did. He didn't pick up. They must be in a bad area or something," Adam admitted.

Noticing her dejected look Adam tried to engage her in conversation, "I see you changed."

"Yeah," Lindsay said simply.

"Is this a special hospital outfit?" he inquired innocently.

Lindsay looked down at the old grey sweat pants incredulously. There was definitely nothing special about them, "No. The other pants I had on were wet from my water breaking," she explained.

"Oh...right, of course...your water," Adam stammered, "Well, you ah...you still look very nice."

Lindsay bit her lip to keep from laughing but managed to just smile at him.

"You know," Adam began, "I peed my pants once. Well not just once...I mean, you know, I had accidents as a child like most kids so I've peed my pants lots. Well not _lots_ lots, but I guess averagefor a little kid. But this time, the time I'm telling you about I was 8 and at the library...Lindsay?"

Adam stopped his story when he glanced at her face and saw her eyes closed and her lips pressed tightly together. After a moment she released the breath she was holding, "Sorry. I think that was my first official contraction."

The tightening of her muscles, pulling at her stomach and her back, had been intense. It was nothing like anything she had experienced yet. None of the light contractions she had felt before had hurt but this one was different. It was painful.

"Whoa," Adam said slightly awed, "How are ya feeling?"

Lindsay just shrugged at him and said, "I'm going to try Danny again."

She again listened to the rings, then his voicemail message. Sighing she said, "Danny. We're on our way to the hospital. I really wish you would answer. I think my contractions have started. Call me as soon as you can. I love you."

She lowered the phone but kept her attention focused on it, willing it to ring. "Why isn't he answering?" she whispered. She knew that if she could just talk to him then a bit of her anxiety would ease. She was trying not to be scared but it was getting harder to fight the fear the closer they go to the hospital. She just wished Danny was with her.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the hand that moved towards hers. She looked up at Adam as he wrapped his fingers around hers.

"Don't worry Lindsay. You're not alone. Danny will stop at nothing to get here. The two things he hasn't shut up about in the past few months are his wife and his daughter. There is no way he's gonna miss this or let you do it alone," He assured her.

Lindsay tightened her own grip on his fingers before asking hesitantly, "Do you think you could stay with me until he gets here?"

Adam gave her hand a squeeze and said, "It'd be my pleasure."

Thank you Adam," Lindsay said softly, "I'm sorry I was so panicky before and snapped at you."

Adam just laughed, "Don't worry about it; happens all the time. Besides I don't even want to think about how I would act if I were going into labor."

Lindsay couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped as she pictured a nine month pregnant Adam going into labor. Knowing instantly where her mind had gone, Adam joined in her merriment.

As they pulled into the hospital parking lot, Lindsay turned to Adam, "Thanks for getting me, well us," she patted her extended belly, "here safely and for distracting me so I didnt worry the whole time."

"You bet," Adam said easily, "but here comes the scary part; finding a parking spot. I'll drop you off at the door first though."

Soon Lindsay found herself standing at the entrance of the hospital as Adam pulled away to park the truck. Desperate for some contact with her husband, Lindsay again pulled out her cell phone, Again she hear his voice mail message and finally frustration and nervousness won out as she spoke into the phone, "Ok. I'm at the hospital. I am walking in right not to have a baby, _your_ baby. Where are you? Why the hell aren't you answering your phone? You said you would keep it with you every second! I am going to have this baby without you!" Realizing her voice was rising in volume she forced herself to take a calming breath before continuing, "Please hurry. I don't want to do this without you."

She closed her phone, stuck it into a slot on her bag and headed into the hospital. She and Danny had pre-registered with the hospital and had familiarized themselves with the layout weeks ago. At the moment Lindsay was extremely grateful for their initiative. Knowing exactly where she needed to go was a great relief.

Lindsay made her way out onto the fourth floor, waded through the people and walked up to the front desk.

Excuse me, she said politely to a nurse behind the counter, Imuh Lindsay trailed off as she felt the muscles again begin to tighten around her like a belt that was too small.

Recognizing the uncomfortable expression on Lindsays face the nurse jumped up and came around the reception desk. She placed a hand on Lindsays shoulder and rubbed gently.

How ya doin hun? patience and understanding laced her words, Breath through it. Alright?

Once the contraction passed, Lindsay looked up at the woman and gave her a grateful smile. The woman looked to be around 40 with light brown eyes and short blonde hair pulled back by a headband.

You wouldnt happen to be Lindsay Messer would you? She asked kindly.

Thats me. Dr. Reeser said she was going to have her office call ahead, Lindsay answered.

And she did, the nurse confirmed, Im Rosie and Ill be your room nurse K?

Room nurse? Lindsay asked.

Yes maam, Rosie smiled at her, Im your assigned nurse. Im going to be with you to help you and make sure you are taken care of. Alright?

Lindsay knew she looked like a deer in head lights but everything was so new and uncertain she just didnt know how to respond.

OK, honey, Ive got your information since you pre-registered but lets go over some of it quickly. Rosie led Lindsay over to a chair and they quickly verified her birthday, social security number, address, and insurance information. Then Rosie reviewed Dannys information with her.

And is your husband on his way? Or do you need me to call him for you? Rosie asked helpfully.

Actually Lindsay began but was cut off.

Hey, Adam interrupted, Sorry it took so long. I had to find a place that wasnt reserved for doctors and then I did but I realized it was parking for an hour only and I wasnt sure how long I was going to be so I had to back out, which a truck the size of the one I was driving doesnt move well in a hospital parking garage and I think I pissed some people off that were behind me but I finally found the long term parking but then I got lost coming into the hospital. But here I am.

Rosie gave Adam an indulging look as she stood, Well, Mr. Messer, we are done with the paperwork so Im going to grab a wheelchair and then well get your wife situated. Are you ready to become a daddy today?

Adams eyes grew large and he stammered out loudly, What? NO, no, no, no, ohuhno, no.

Lindsay nearly laughed at Rosies perplexed look but quickly explained, Thats not Danny. I havent been able to get a hold of my husband yet. Adam drove me to the hospital. Hes a friend of ours. Is it ok if he stays with me until my husband arrives?

Lindsay watched as Rosies face relaxed into understanding, Oh, sure thats not a problem. Adam right?

Adam nodded.

OK Adam, While I get Lindsay changed can you take her bag to her room? And then you can come back here and help me move her there. Rosie instructed.

Adam grabbed Lindsays suitcase, eager to have something to do and headed to the room number Rosie had given him.

Rosie handed Lindsay a gown and a clear plastic cup and wheeled her to a bathroom, Alright hun, why dont you go ahead and change into the wonderfully stylish hospital gown and Im gonna need you to pee in the cup for me.

Lindsay groaned.

Rosie smiled in understanding, I know, not a lot of fun at nine months to try and aim for that little cup.

Grateful for a nurse who was funny and sympathetic at the same time Lindsay sighed, Well at least I have to pee 24 hours a day so I know that parts not going to be a problem.

The two women shared an easy laugh.

You can just leave the cup on the sink and there is an emergency pull in there if you need help, Rosie explained as she helped Lindsay out of the chair.

Adam returned just as Lindsay was coming out of the bathroom.

My flip flops are in my suit case, Lindsay said sheepishly as she indicated her bare feet, then realization hit her, Oh, and my cell phone! What if Danny has been calling?

Dont worry, honey, thats where were headed. We can talk about how your feeling, do an exam, get the fetal monitor going and talk about the birth plan you have in your file, Rosie assured her as she helped Lindsay sit down in the chair, Adam why dont you go ahead and wheel Lindsay down there while I grab her chart.

Lindsay was eager to get back to her phone. She just knew Danny had called. Adam guided her slowly through the hallway and around the people but just before he turned into her room she saw him.

Danny.

He had come around the corner quickly, glancing in every room he passed. As he turned to face her she knew the look of relief on his face mirrored her own.

Hi, she mouthed to him happily.

He was here. He was finally here.

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**OK so I had to do a little bit of tweaking because I couldnt come up with a reason for Adam to be pushing Lindsay around in the wheelchair once she was in the hospital gown. With my experience I was put in a room and then I got changed, examined, tested etc. and there wasnt a need for the wheelchair at that point so that part is a little weird but I think I can be pretty realistic the rest of the way through plus I didnt want to have Lindsay and Rosie really get into discussing things before Danny got there. So like I said it should be more realistic from here on out. Also, sorry for any typos and grammatical errors!**

**Next up: Dannys P.O. did this all start for him?**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	2. ch 1 Fixed

**Fanfiction (dot) net is acting really goofy and I have tried to fix the problem with the first chapter but I guess it keeps reading the last part as "fancy" which I didn't use but I can't get it to work properly so I just went in and manually added the quotation marks and commas. I just picked up right where they stopped working. I know it's not a great fix but at least you can read the last part of the first chapter without having to try and decipher it ;)**

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Soon Lindsay found herself standing at the entrance of the hospital as Adam pulled away to park the truck. Desperate for some contact with her husband, Lindsay again pulled out her cell phone, Again she hear his voice mail message and finally frustration and nervousness won out as she spoke into the phone, "Ok. I'm at the hospital. I am walking in right not to have a baby, _your_ baby. Where are you? Why the hell aren't you answering your phone? You said you would keep it with you every second! I am going to have this baby without you!" Realizing her voice was rising in volume she forced herself to take a calming breath before continuing, "Please hurry. I don't want to do this without you."

She closed her phone, stuck it into a slot on her bag and headed into the hospital. She and Danny had pre-registered with the hospital and had familiarized themselves with the layout weeks ago. At the moment Lindsay was extremely grateful for their initiative. Knowing exactly where she needed to go was a great relief.

Lindsay made her way out onto the fourth floor, waded through the people and walked up to the front desk.

"Excuse me," she said politely to a nurse behind the counter, "I'm...uh..." Lindsay trailed off as she felt the muscles again begin to tighten around her like a belt that was too small.

Recognizing the uncomfortable expression on Lindsays face the nurse jumped up and came around the reception desk. She placed a hand on Lindsays shoulder and rubbed gently.

"How ya doin hun?" patience and understanding laced her words, "Breath through it. Alright?"

Once the contraction passed, Lindsay looked up at the woman and gave her a grateful smile. The woman looked to be around 40 with light brown eyes and short blonde hair pulled back by a headband.

"You wouldn't happen to be Lindsay Messer would you?" She asked kindly.

"Thats me. Dr. Reeser said she was going to have her office call ahead," Lindsay answered.

"And she did," the nurse confirmed, "I'm Rosie and Ill be your room nurse K?"

"Room nurse?" Lindsay asked.

"Yes ma'am," Rosie smiled at her, "I'm your assigned nurse. I'm going to be with you to help you and make sure you are taken care of. Alright?"

Lindsay knew she looked like a deer in head lights but everything was so new and uncertain she just didnt know how to respond.

"OK, honey, I've got your information since you pre-registered but lets go over some of it quickly." Rosie led Lindsay over to a chair and they quickly verified her birthday, social security number, address, and insurance information. Then Rosie reviewed Dannys information with her.

"And is your husband on his way? Or do you need me to call him for you?" Rosie asked helpfully.

Actually Lindsay began but was cut off.

"Hey," Adam interrupted, "Sorry it took so long. I had to find a place that wasn't reserved for doctors and then I did but I realized it was parking for an hour only and I wasn't sure how long I was going to be so I had to back out, which a truck the size of the one I was driving doesn't move well in a hospital parking garage and I think I pissed some people off that were behind me but I finally found the long term parking but then I got lost coming into the hospital. But here I am."

Rosie gave Adam an indulging look as she stood, "Well, Mr. Messer, we are done with the paperwork so I'm going to grab a wheelchair and then well get your wife situated. Are you ready to become a daddy today?"

Adams eyes grew large and he stammered out loudly, "What? NO, no, no, no, oh...uh...no, no."

Lindsay nearly laughed at Rosies perplexed look but quickly explained, "That's not Danny. I haven't been able to get a hold of my husband yet. Adam drove me to the hospital. He's a friend of ours. Is it ok if he stays with me until my husband arrives?"

Lindsay watched as Rosies face relaxed into understanding, "Oh, sure thats not a problem. Adam right?"

Adam nodded.

"OK Adam, While I get Lindsay changed can you take her bag to her room? And then you can come back here and help me move her there," Rosie instructed.

Adam grabbed Lindsays suitcase, eager to have something to do and headed to the room number Rosie had given him.

Rosie handed Lindsay a gown and a clear plastic cup and wheeled her to a bathroom, "Alright hun, why don't you go ahead and change into the wonderfully stylish hospital gown and I'm gonna need you to pee in the cup for me."

Lindsay groaned.

Rosie smiled in understanding, "I know, not a lot of fun at nine months to try and aim for that little cup."

Grateful for a nurse who was funny and sympathetic at the same time Lindsay sighed, "Well at least I have to pee 24 hours a day so I know that parts not going to be a problem."

The two women shared an easy laugh.

"You can just leave the cup on the sink and there is an emergency pull in there if you need help," Rosie explained as she helped Lindsay out of the chair.

Adam returned just as Lindsay was coming out of the bathroom.

"My flip flops are in my suit case," Lindsay said sheepishly as she indicated her bare feet, then realization hit her, "Oh, and my cell phone! What if Danny has been calling?"

"Dont worry, honey, that's where we're headed. We can talk about how your feeling, do an exam, get the fetal monitor going and talk about the birth plan you have in your file," Rosie assured her as she helped Lindsay sit down in the chair, "Adam why don't you go ahead and wheel Lindsay down there while I grab her chart."

Lindsay was eager to get back to her phone. She just knew Danny had called. Adam guided her slowly through the hallway and around the people but just before he turned into her room she saw him.

Danny.

He had come around the corner quickly, glancing in every room he passed. As he turned to face her she knew the look of relief on his face mirrored her own.

"Hi," she mouthed to him happily.

He was here. He was finally here.

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**OK so I had to do a little bit of tweaking because I couldn't come up with a reason for Adam to be pushing Lindsay around in the wheelchair once she was in the hospital gown. With my experience I was put in a room and then I got changed, examined, tested etc. and there wasn't a need for the wheelchair at that point so that part is a little weird but I think I can be pretty realistic the rest of the way through plus I didn't want to have Lindsay and Rosie really get into discussing things before Danny got there. So like I said it should be more realistic from here on out. Also, sorry for any typos and grammatical errors!**

**Next up: Dannys P.O. did this all start for him?**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	3. Danny's POV

**A Baby Story**

**Part 2 Danny's Point of View**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**AN: Here's the next chapter! Hopefully all the grammar marks will remain! ;) Thank you so much for sticking through to the end of the previous chapter even though it took some deciphering! LOL!**

**Special Thanks to: laurzz, pretty7, Daisybelle, nkhn923, madmush, new-york-babee, LME, DAnNSfreak, Brichen86, afrozenheart412, qwen24, soccerbaby, Calleygirl80, Flynn, Mystick225, californication, Hylen, bonafide11, Colie04, LuBr, webdlfan, saderia, SexyPunk54, FoxPhile, uscrocks, and JavaJunkie4evr! You guys are awesome.**

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Danny was miserable. He and Hawkes had only been at the crime scene for about 15 minutes but that had been more than enough time to make Danny uncomfortable. He was taking photographs of a dead body; a body that had been dumped in a small, dank cellar with no ventilation. While the weather outside was sunny and cool, the room Danny found himself in was dark and stuffy. The smell of mold and rot permeated the air, making his eyes water. The noise of the city was muffled, making him feel like he was buried and alone. Thankfully, this particular scene had less work required since it was clearly just a place the body was dumped and not the primary crime scene. It would make the case harder for them in the long run but right now all Danny cared about was getting out of this room as soon as possible.

The limited space didn't allow for much more than Danny and the body so once he and Hawkes had given the room the once over the doctor had returned topside to search for any evidence left by the anyone who would have been involved in the crime. Hawkes had stepped out into the sunlight and took a deep breath of fresh air. He nodded to the officer assigned to stay onsite. It was clear both men were grateful to be at the top of the stairs.

Just as Hawkes set down his forensics kit to begin a preliminary visual inspection of the area, he felt his phone buzz once. Pulling it out he saw he had a voice-mail. 'Odd,' he thought, 'I don't think it even rang.'

He quickly dialed his voice-mail and listened as Adam's voice carried through the speaker, "Adam it's Hawkes, I mean, Hawkes it's Adam…sorry…uh…listen I need to talk to Danny. It's a bit of an emergency…

The moment Hawkes heard Adam's voice squeak on the word emergency he turned and headed straight back down the stairs. Danny had mentioned his concerns about Lindsay's contractions and whether she should be at work. Hawkes had assured him that most pregnant women experience false labor or mild contraction but that when Lindsay went into to true labor they would know. From the panicky tone of Adam's voice Hawkes suspected that time had arrived.

'But why didn't he just call Danny's phone directly?' he wondered.

He continued to listen to Adam's message as he descended deeper into the underground caver, "I'm grabbing a company truck because I took the subway this morning…Linds…grab car…she's violent…to deliver baby…

Adam's message had become garbled by static and silence then abruptly ended. Hawkes glanced down at the phone and realized what the problem was. It wasn't the message that was garbled but rather his phone had lost the connection to his voice-mail. Apparently this tiny room underneath the concrete really was a void. His phone had no signal.

"Danny!" Hawkes called out as he raced down the last few steps.

At the urgency in Hawkes' voice Danny quickly glanced up asking, "What?"

"Your phone man! Do you have a signal?" Hawkes shot at him.

Danny knew the implications of not having a signal. He frantically pulled his phone out from his back pocket and sure enough the screen testified of his loss of communication.

"Shit!" Danny exclaimed as he rushed up the stairs nearly knocking Hawkes down as he shoved the camera into the doctor's hands. He took the stairs two at a time, desperate to reconnect to the world of wireless communication.

Not even pausing to acknowledge his re-entrance into the world of the living, Danny stuck his phone away from his body and began walking around, impatient for his phone to acquire its signal. Once the connection had been re-established Danny's fears were realized. His phone emitted a series of beeps indicating several messages.

Danny again released a colorful expletive as he waited for his phone to retrieve the messages. Hawkes walked up just as Danny heard the cold, robotic voice of his phone say, "You have five unheard messages; first unheard message…"

"Five?!" Danny felt his stomach drop and his heartbeat speed up.

At Hawkes' questioning look, Danny raised his finger as a sign for needing another few moments. Then Lindsay's voice could be heard through the speakers, "Hi, Danny. It's me. You know your very pregnant wife. Just calling to let you know my water broke, you're no where to be found and Adam is driving me to the hospital. So, you know, just whenever you get a chance call me."

"Wiseass," Danny mumbled, "Well at least she's not panicking. That's a good sign."

Hawkes nodded in agreement as Danny skipped to the next message. Danny was surprised to hear Adam's voice, "Um, Hi Danny. It's Adam…um…from the lab. Listen, Lindsay's about to go into labor and you and Doc are gone, Stella's in court, and Mac has the day off so I guess I'm going to be getting her to the hospital but if you could hurry or something. I'm not sure exactly what to do. I mean I know how to drive, but I mean, like, if she has to give birth in the car or something. I'm probably not going to be very useful plus I doubt Lindsay wants me to be looking at her…um…down there. Although, I did see a cat give birth onc…"

The phone beeped indicating the end of the message. Danny gave a frustrated growl as he skipped to the next message.

"Oh, sorry," Adam's voice again carried through, "your phone cut me off. Just get to the hospital a.s.a.p…uh, bye."

Danny aggressively punched the keys on his phone and the next message that played was his wife's, "Danny we're on our way to the hospital. I really wish you would answer. I think my contractions have started. Call me as soon as you can. I love you."

Danny's heart broke at the vulnerability he heard in her voice. Danny kicked himself for not checking his phone earlier. He turned his attention to the last message left by his wife, "OK. I'm at the hospital. I am walking in right now to have a baby. Where the hell are you?! Please hurry. I don't want to do this without you."

Danny had apparently spoken too soon because Lindsay definitely sounded scared and panicked in that message.

Turning to Hawkes, Danny started talking fast, "I gotta get to the hospital. She needs me. I gotta get there. What if she has the baby before I get there?"

Danny was so caught up in his worst case scenarios that he didn't notice at first that Hawkes was on the phone. Impatiently motioning for Sheldon to hand him the keys, he was brought up short when heard Hawkes say, "Alright, thanks Mac. I'll let you know."

"Ya called Mac?" Danny asked stupidly.

"Yeah, look, we only have one truck here and I'm going to need it to finish this scene—plus Mac and I agree it would be better if you didn't drive yourself. So Officer Watson is going to stay with the body while I take you to the hospital. Then I'll come back and finish."

Danny didn't care to argue. He simply responded with, "Let's go." Hawkes followed close behind him as they ran for the truck and soon the pair was moving down the road.

Finding it difficult to focus on his surroundings, Danny asked, "How far do you thing we are from the hospital?"

"Probably 20-25 minutes," Hawkes answered.

Danny groaned, "Come on man. She's already there. We gotta hurry."

Taking in his friend's concern and excitement, Hawkes threw caution out the window. He flipped on the truck's emergency lights and hit the accelerator.

This obviously pleased Danny since he immediately quit grumbling and instead tried to call Lindsay.

"Damn it," he griped.

"Everything alright?" Hawkes asked concerned.

Distractedly Danny answered, "Voice-mail." Then into the phone he recorded, "Hey baby. I got your messages. I'm so sorry I didn't get your calls. I'm on my way 'K? I'll be there soon. Don't worry, everything's goin' to alright OK? Just hold on. I'll see you soon."

Danny hung up the call and had to fight the desire to immediately try and call her again. Instead he leaned his head back and gave a frustrated sigh.

"Don't worry Danny," Hawkes assured him confidently, "Lindsay's going to be fine and most babies, especially first babies, usually take a while. You're not going to miss it. Just take a breath and remember as nervous as you are right now Lindsay's going to be 100 times worse. She's going to need you to be calm and comforting."

Danny roughly ran a hand over his face and answered, "Ya right Doc. I know ya right. I just…we had this all planned ya know? If I wasn't with her then Mac or Stella or you were gonna be with'er. I had three back ups and she still had to find her own way to the hospital."

"Adam obviously got her there safely," Hawkes reminded him.

"Yeah, I know, it's not about that. We had a plan, right? We had a plan but she's there without me, I don't know what's going on and it just feels like everything is goin' wrong and spinnin' out of control. That scares the hell outta me," Danny explained forcefully.

Before Hawkes could comment he saw out of his peripheral vision Danny turn from the passenger side window to look at him, "I couldn't talk to Lindsay about this. In fact I've been afraid to even say the words out loud," Danny admitted quietly, "but what if somethin' goes wrong? I read about all kinds of things that could go wrong. I mean woman still die from childbirth. Or what if somethin' goes wrong with the baby? What if I lose one of 'em today or…both? I don't…I don't think I could…" Danny trailed off as his mind created scenario after scenario of what tragedies he could experience today.

Hawkes knew how dangerous Danny' line of thought was and relied on his medical training to help as he sharply interjected, "Danny, you have to stop this man."

His comment was met with silence and Hawkes took that as his cue to continue, "I saw it time and time again in the hospital. A positive attitude is more powerful than you think Danny. You can't do this to yourself or to Lindsay. You can't let the 'what ifs' ruin this day for you. Yes, childbirth is not something to be taken lightly but you guys aren't doing this alone. The hospital is going to keep a close eye on both Lindsay and your daughter. Lindsay and your daughter need you to focus on making this a truly special day for them."

Danny nodded his head, gazing down at his phone and whispered, "My daughter."

He was finally going to meet her. His emotions waged a war as Danny tried to balance his excitement with his anxiety. He closed his eyes briefly as he focused on the on thing in his life that brought him peace; Lindsay. He allowed himself to remember how happy she had been when he had surprised her for a second time by showing up on Montana following his suspension.

She had been sitting on her parent's porch swing when he had pulled up the Monroe's long drive way. Not expecting visitors, Lindsay's face was marred by curiosity as she hefted her cumbersome body off the swing. Danny had thought his heart was going to pound out of his chest he was so excited to see her. He had climbed out of the rental car and just grinned at her. He had watched as her face registered his and without a moments hesitation she had waddled to him as quickly as her heavily pregnant body had allowed.

Needing no other prompting, Danny too had begun to move toward her. They had met in a tangled embrace as Lindsay both laughed and cried while placing small, frenzied kisses all over his face.

Danny didn't think there had ever been another person in the world he was so happy to see and who was as equally happy to see him. It had touched him deeply and would be a moment he would treasure for the rest of his life.

In their tight embrace he had felt their daughter kick against his stomach. Feeling a bit of the terror ebb as he allowed the memory to wash over him, Danny opened his eyes. Today he would get the chance to finally feel her skin against his.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, "We're nearly there. I betta try Linds' phone again."

Hawkes acknowledged his comment with a quick nod, grateful that Danny seemed to have pulled himself out of his momentary hysteria.

A frustrated groan filled the cab of the vehicle as Danny complained, "Why isn't she answering her phone?" Then turning his attention to Hawkes he instructed, "Doc take 57th right there. It'll be faster."

"Danny I got this. I got this," Hawkes tried to assure him but Danny's distracted, "alright" indicated he had already turned his attention back to his phone.

"Voice-mail…again," he whined frustrated, "Baby, It's me. We're close ok? Hold on 'til I get there ok? I don't wanna miss this. I love you. I love you ok?"

Danny nearly dropped the phone as he felt the car swerve severely to miss a guy who was climbing out of the car. Both men had shouted at the idiot but the guy was soon forgotten.

"Up here, right here doc, doc, doc," Danny insisted, "ok right there. Make a right, go around the corner an…and pull into emergency."

Danny didn't even know what emotion he was feeling as they pulled up to the hospital entrance. He was just so overwhelmed. All he knew for sure was that he needed to see Lindsay. He jumped out of the truck almost before it stopped.

"Hey Danny," Hawkes shouted to his retreating form. Danny turned to see what the problem was. "Congrats brother," Hawkes smiled at him.

After a quick, manly fist bump and a hasty, "Thanks Doc" Danny again made a run for his wife.

Danny was a little winded by the time he made it to the Maternity Ward but he wasn't going to slow down too much. Walking quickly through the people and checking every room he passed Danny finally turned a corner and saw her.

Lindsay.

She was sitting is a wheelchair cradling her belly. As she saw him he knew the look of relief on her face mirrored his own.

"Hi," she mouthed to him happily.

He'd found her. He'd finally found her.

****************************************************************************

**Yeah! They are united. **

**Next up: Danny, Lindsay and Rosie. We can finally get down to getting this labor started ;)**

**Thanks for reading!!!**


	4. You want to stick your finger where?

**A Baby Story**

**Part 3: You want to stick your finger where?**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**A/N Hello out there! Anyone remember this story? LOL! I have been wanting to add to this, but needed a little bit of a kick in the butt. So thanks to kcatlin and Brinchen86 for the well aimed foot ^_^ Hopefully you guys are still interested in this story. I also need to thank AnickaMarie, Nerwen Aldarion, paradiseblue, laurzz, Hylen, pretty7, Colie04, laughing bubbles 18, webdlfan, bonafide11, JavaJunkie4evr, saderia, uscrocks, afrozenheart412, megann310, californication, & gwen24. Your reviews are what keep me going! I also want to thank those who favorited or added this story to their alerts; crazymoo97, LMooD7, countrygirl103, eealbrecht07, aznbLuEbEaRgr, lastlovesangel, Spannie 2, and EllaNichole.**

**I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint and you enjoy!**

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Danny had to force himself to walk at a reasonable pace over to his wife. His pulse was pounding in his ears from running through the hospital and he had to try and slow his breathing. The adrenaline coursing through his body was making it difficult but the relief at seeing his wife healthy and safe was almost as potent.

He was soon bending down to her, and she was wrapping her arms around him tightly. Danny returned her hug eagerly. They were so wrapped up in the moment of contact that neither noticed Adam stepping away to allow them some privacy.

"You're here," Lindsay whispered into his ear. Her voice full of emotion. Danny pulled back and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"Ya thought I would miss this?" Danny asked incredulously, his voice breaking slightly.

"I was beginning to wonder," she teased.

He reached up with his other hand, and rested it against her tight, round belly.

"Ya ready to do this?" he asked her playfully.

She rested her hand over his against where their little girl prepared for her entrance into the world and with a seriousness in her tone she answered, "Now I am."

Danny smiled at her, as he felt the connection between them strengthen.

"I'm sorry this didn't go as smoothly as we'd planned," he offered quietly, using his had to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

She reached up and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, her smile widening as she asked ruefully, "When does anything we plan go smoothly?"

He chuckled in response and teased, "Yeah, I guess our little girl was blessed with her mother's sense of timin'."

"Like mother, like daughter," Lindsay said proudly.

The sound of someone clearing his throat brought them back to the maternity ward. Danny glanced up to Adam's smiling face.

"I don't think I've ever been so glad to see you Messer," Adam joked.

Danny stood and stuck out a hand to Adam, which he took and shook.

"Thanks buddie. I can't thank ya enough for gettin' my family here."

Adam blushed at his words, and lowered his head in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it. It was my pleasure, but I think I'm gonna hand the reins over to you now," Adam said as he stepped away from the wheelchair to allow Danny to take over the pushing.

Danny and he swapped places and Adam turned to Lindsay, "Good luck you guys. I'm going to stick around for a little bit so you just let me know if there's anything more I can do alright?"

Adam didn't mention that he was sticking around because the text he'd received from Hawkes said Danny might benefit from having a friend nearby, or more to the point it read: _Danny losing it. Stay put until you know he's not going to get thrown out of hospital_. Adam didn't think the tough New Yorker exterior would like that bit of information.

Lindsay gave Adam a heartfelt smile of appreciation.

"Thanks for everything Adam."

"Not a prob! Happy to help with the Messer family expansion...wait...that didn't sound right."

"We get it," Lindsay assured him. She reached out an arm and snagged Adam's shirtsleeve, pulling him down to her level. She wrapped her arms around his neck awkwardly, and gave him a quick squeeze. "Thank you."

Adam returned her hug. "My pleasure." The younger man pulled back.

"A'right," Danny began, "Where we headed?"

"Oh, her room is 415, right down there," Adam answered as he pointed to the room he had left Lindsay's bag, and with a wave, headed towards the nurses' station to find out where he could get some coffee.

Danny nodded, and wheeled Lindsay the rest of the way. As he pushed, he leaned down to speak directly in her ear. "How ya doin' Montana?"

"I'm ok," she answered honestly. Danny's arrival had truly calmed her fears. Lindsay wasn't a cowardly person. She had survived a brutal crime, faced down her demon, made a career for herself in a difficult profession, and made a home for herself in a big, unfamiliar city. She knew Danny respected her for what she had accomplished and recognized the strength that it took for her to overcome the complexity of emotions that she had lived through. That was why she was absolutely fine with allowing Danny to see that she needed him now.

"A'right Mrs. Messer, we got the finest suite available," Danny joked as he wheeled her into their tiny hospital room. He helped Lindsay out of the chair, and for a moment they just stared at each other.

"So," Lindsay said softly, "This is it, huh?"

"This is it," Danny nodded, "I can't believe we're here."

"I know," Lindsay agreed, "I mean she has felt very real to me these last few months, but now it seems almost too surreal to be true. How did you and I get here?"

Danny raised an eyebrow at her and teased, "Ya need a biology lesson Montana?"

Lindsay laughed, and in a moment of pure impulse, threw her arms around Danny and held him as close as her widened body would allow. "Keep me laughing today, ok?" she pleaded quietly in his ear.

"I'll do my best," he promised, "but Linds I gotta be honest, I feel like I don't know what the hell I'm doin'."

"That makes two of us," she admitted, "Let me just start by saying if I get mean or rude with you today that I'm sorry and I love you."

It was Danny's turn to laugh. "Babe you can say or do whatever ya want to me today, an' I promise not to take offense. Just make one deal with me 'K."

At Lindsay's questioning look Danny continued, "Tell me exactly what you want me to do. If you want me to rub ya back, tell me. If ya want me to talk to you, tell me. If you want me to shut the hell up, tell me. A'right?"

"Done," Lindsay agreed, "Is it too late for me to request you give birth to this baby?"

"Yes," Danny answered without hesitation. Prompted by her question, he searched her face to see how scared she was. Her lips where pressed tighter together than normal, and her brown eyes held a hint of panic. "The truth is Lindsay, I am 100% positive I wouldn't be strong enough to do it. I have been floored with how amazing you've been through all of this. You worked even when you felt sick, you took care of me an' our relationship even when you were tired, you have educated yourself with every baby book under the sun, you've done everything right ta keep you and our baby healthy, you've made sacrifices, an' I know you are going to be an amazing mom. You are the bravest person I know, and I can't wait to see our little girl grow up to be jus' like you. You can do this, and then you'll just have to live with the fact that I'll forever worship the ground you walk on."

Buoyed by his words, Lindsay smiled, "Hmm...I think I can live with that. Does this mean

you'll go back to doing your own laundry?"

Danny gave an exaggerated shutter, "Hell no. I married you specifically so I'd never have ta step near a washin' machine again. Jus' know that I'll still be worshippin' ya even when you're holdin' a laundry basket."

Lindsay just rolled her eyes. "You're lucky you're such a good dishwasher, otherwise I would seriously be re-evaluating this relationship."

Danny didn't buy it. He grinned at her, then leaned in and just as he expected she raised her cumbersome body up onto her toes, and stretched to meet his lips in a soft, tender kiss.

"It still feels pretty good to know I get to kiss my wife whenever I want," Danny said as they separated.

"Well, I thinks it pretty cool that I can kiss my husband whenever I want," Lindsay shot back. The terms husband and wife were still new and fresh, and even took a bit of getting used to, but right now as they prepared for the titles of mom and dad, it felt reassuring to know they were in this together.

Any further conversation was diverted as Rosie entered the room carrying Lindsay's information. "Alright Lindsay, let's get you on the bed, and find out where we are, shall we? Oh, hello, are you the husband?" Rosie asked noticing Danny in the room.

"Yeah, that's me, Danny Messer, how ya doin'?" He answered nervously. Danny felt a bit uncertain now that the nurse was in the room. In a rush of realization, he felt unprepared and inadequate to the task of helping Lindsay through this. He felt like he had "first time father and complete moron" tattooed on his forehead.

Having dealt with first time father's often, Rosie easily read his trepidation, and smiled brightly. "Wonderful! I'm Rosie. I'm going to be your labor and delivery nurse. If you need anything just let me know, I'm not just here for the moms. And let me just say it is fantastic to see you here. Mom over here is going to need you with her. She's going to need your support and encouragement. And if you have any questions about anything I'm doing, or any concerns about what's going on, don't hesitate to talk to me, ok?"

Danny nodded. He liked Rosie.

Seeing a slightly more at ease father, Rosie took charge. "Now, Danny, will you help Lindsay onto the bed?"

Danny scrambled into action, and soon Lindsay lay reclined in the bed with Danny sitting in the chair next to her, holding her hand.

"Alright, let the marathon poking and prodding begin," Rosie joked. She took a blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Lindsay's arm. While she allowed the machine to work, she took Lindsay's temperature, checked her breathing, and asked about her due date.

A small beeping sound filled the room, and Rosie noted Lindsay's blood pressure. After making several notes on the chart she held, she turned to Lindsay. "Dr. Resser's office said you were coming in because your water broke. Is that correct?"

After Lindsay's response in the affirmative, Rosie continued, "Did it feel like a gush of liquid or more like a leak?"

"Definitely a gush," Lindsay answered, then her eyes grew large, "Oh no! Danny!"

Danny sprang to his feet and demanded frantically, "What? What is it? Wuz wrong?"

"I forgot. When my water broke in the lab I kinda just rolled my chair over it, and left it," Lindsay said sheepishly, "I didn't think about telling anyone."

Danny let out the breath he was holding. It was going to be a long day. "Don't worry about it babe. I'll let someone know. You just worry about...this..." he waved his hands vaguely over her stomach.

"Danny's right," Rosie stepped in and assured, "They'll take care of that. You just focus on this baby, and trust me I have heard some crazy stories of when and where a water has decided to break. Work is really common. Now, when was the last time you ate?"

"Uh...I had an orange and a bagel this morning, I guess about 2 hours ago. Wow, that feels like forever ago," Lindsay observed.

Rosie chuckled. "Trust me, today is going to feel all kinds of outta whack. Time seems to take on a new life when you're having a baby. Let me just recommend you enjoy it as much as possible. It is one of the few days in your life where work, obligations, or whatever takes precedence in your day to day life takes a backseat, and you can just focus on each other and your child."

The future parents grinned at each other.

Rosie then continued, "We won't forbid you to eat today, but we recommend holding off, and we find that most mother's, as labor progresses, lose their appetite anyway, but let me know if you are feeling faint."

"Why can't she eat?" Danny asked, still standing, hovering over Lindsay.

"Well, she can eat if she wants, we just don't recommend it. Most of the time the body focuses all it's energy on delivering the baby, and even the effort to digest food can be too much. But again, if she starts to feel like she's going to pass out let us know right away," the nurse explained, "Now Lindsay I'm going to check and see how far along you are. I need you to lean back, bring you knees up and then let them drop apart."

Lindsay did as requested and then gripped tightly to Danny's hand. At his questioning look she said, "This isn't exactly the most comfortable exam."

"Yeah, sorry," Rosie interjected as she pulled on a glove and positioned herself, "but I promise to be as gentle as possible. Now, at your last doctor's visit had you begun dilating?"

Before she could answer, Lindsay let out a hiss as her body tensed from the intrusion on a latex covered digit being shoved into her vagina.

"Try and relax," Rosie reminded her, "take a couple of deep breathes."

Lindsay again followed instructions, and focused on relaxing her muscles, though her tight hold on Danny's hand didn't lessen. He noticed his own body was tense and uncomfortable during the examination as well, and knew he wasn't going to be much help if he didn't calm down too.

"She...uh...she was at one centimeter at her last appointment, and that was two days ago," Danny answered for his wife.

"And your GBS status?"

"Negative," again Danny answered.

Rosie continued her internal examination in silence, and occasionally brought her other hand to Lindsay's belly, pushing gently. Finally, she stepped away, pulled off the glove, and quickly covered Lindsay's lower half with a blanket giving her back some privacy.

"Ok, well, it seems like we are going to be spending a lot of time together today," Rosie explained, "You are still at one centimeter and about 50% effaced."

"That's exactly where I was two days ago," Lindsay confirmed.

Rosie nodded, "The baby is still quite high too, but in good position. How many contractions have you had, and how far apart?"

"I had a few this morning, nothing too painful, maybe one to two an hour. Then after my water broke, they were much more intense but no more frequent."

Rosie again nodded. "Normally we would send you home at this point, and let you labor at home until you were much closer to delivery, but since your water broke, we are going to keep you here. We don't want to run the risk of infection, and we want to be able to check on the baby during your progress. I'm going to hook you up to the fetal monitor for about 20 minutes so we can record the baby's heart rate and track your contractions."

The nurse pulled the machine over to Lindsay and wrapped two stretchy bands around her belly. She then fiddled with a few buttons, and soon the sound of their daughter's fast heartbeat filled the room.

Both Lindsay and Danny's heads whipped around to stare at the machine as it showed their

baby's heart beating through electronic representation.

"Ok, do you know what you're having?" Rosie asked.

"A girl," Danny breathed out in awe.

"Well, your daughter's heart rate is good and strong," she observed, "while this is working I just have a few more things to go over. I'm going to switch the sound off while we talk, but then if you prefer I can turn it back on." Rosie pushed a button, and the room fell silent.

Danny didn't like that at all. Lindsay laughed at the look on his face. "She didn't go anywhere," she teased him quietly, bringing their joined hands to rest on the predominate belly bump that housed their daughter.

Danny just huffed.

"Now, I do have in your chart your birth plan. I just want to go over it, and make sure we are all on the same page, alright?"

"Of course," Lindsay answered.

Rosie sat down on the doctor's chair, the wheels squeaking softly as the chair rolled a bit.

"Okay, well, just from a quick glance I can tell you've really done your research. This is very in depth," she smiled.

Danny grinned proudly and added, "Yep, Linds here is organized and well informed. She doesn't hesitate to learn everything there is to know about something. That is why she's so good at her job. She's always researchin' and payin' attention to details."

"Danny," Lindsay groaned in protest at his praise.

"What Montana? It's true."

"What is it you do?" Rosie asked.

"I'm...we, actually, are both crime scene investigators for the New York Crime Lab," Lindsay answered.

"Cool," Rosie observed, "that is definitely one of the more interesting jobs I've heard of. So you guys work with the NYPD to catch the bad guys?" Now that she knew to look for it, Rosie saw the shield clipped to Danny's belt.

"We do our best," Danny answered humbly.

"Well that is too neat. I'm going to have to make sure you guys have nothing to complain about because I would hate to have the men and women in blue after me," Rosie joked then turned back to the task at hand, "Ok, so we have here that you do not want an epidural offered to you, correct?"

"Correct," Lindsay said, "I'm going to try and do this with as little medical intervention as possible. Danny and I have worked out a system that if I ask for pain medicine three times then you are allowed to give it to me. I also don't want any medication to speed up labor, as long as we can avoid it. I want this to be as natural as possible."

"Which I see here, because you have specified no episiotomy, no continuous fetal monitoring and prefer fluids by mouth for as long as possible."

"Exactly," Lindsay affirmed, "I want to be able to walk around, and use different positions and breathing techniques to help me deal with labor. We decided to follow the Bradley Method for labor and delivery, and we've taken all the classes specifying in that particular method. I'm sure you're familiar with it."

Rosie nodded. The Bradley Method encouraged natural labor and delivery, and for the husband, or significant other, to be involved heavily in the process. "I've had a few woman who used that. So Danny is going to be your coach through labor and delivery. Now, I have had a few woman who wanted me to help them through the delivery by holding her other leg, or encouraging them, and I've had some woman who just wanted me to be near in case I was needed. Do you know what you would prefer? Or how involved you would like me?"

Lindsay and Danny looked at each other and shrugged. Danny answered, "Right now we're ok with you bein' there, and helpin' as much as possible, but I do know that we don't want anyone countin' during contractions or dictatin' to Lindsay when she should push, or anything like that. You seem really nice and easy goin' so I don't think we're worried about ya bein' there ta help."

Danny felt Lindsay stiffen under his hand and he glanced at her. She closed her eyes and began breathing deeply.

"Contraction?" he pressed.

She nodded.

"Try an' relax," he reminded her gently. Danny glanced at the screen and noticed the number of the baby's heart rate dropped slightly. He looked at the woman assigned to help them and asked, "That's normal right?"

"Absolutely," Rosie assured him quickly, "The baby's heart rate will usually drop slightly during contractions. Nothing to worry about unless it gets too low, but if that happens the machine will let me know."

Danny felt Lindsay relax. "Ya ok?"

She smiled at him. "So far so good," turning to Rosie she motioned for her to continue.

"Ok, for after the birth you have that you would like Dad to cut the cord, and the baby to be placed on your chest or belly."

"I'v read that skin to skin contact is really good for her, especially right after birth," Lindsay explained, "and it should also say I want to breastfeed her as soon as possible."

"It does," Rosie confirmed.

"Will...will there be someone there who can help me?" Lindsay asked, "I've obviously never done that before, but I also read that it is really good for the baby to nurse soon after delivery."

"Don't worry, we will be there to help you with anything you need," Rosie again assured, "And I see you would like her to stay with you and your husband?"

"Yeah," Danny jumped in, "we don't really want her in the nursery, an' we read that you guys can do all the post-partum stuff bedside. So as long as everything is ok with the baby and with Lindsay we want to stay together."

"If for some reason there is a problem then we want Danny to stay with her at all times," Lindsay interjected.

"Well, we shouldn't have a problem with most of this. We do require a fetal monitor to be worn occasionally to check the baby's status, but as long as we don't have any problems there shouldn't be any reason you can't get up and move about. I do want to stress that if you begin to feel shaky or tired that you sit or lie down. I also recommend while we are in the early stages that you take some time to rest and kick back, save up the energy for the day ahead."

Rosie stood, and collected her things. "You still have about 5 minutes left on the monitor. I'm going to go call your doctor, give her an update, the doctor on call will probably pop in and confirm everything with you. Dr. Resser is the doctor we have to page for delivery, but sometimes babies surprise us, so if for some reason she can't make it or is held up with something I want you to be familiar with the doctor we have on call today. It will either be Dr. Moore or Dr. Pritter. Do you want me to turn the sound of the monitor back on before I go?"

"Yes," Danny and Lindsay answered in tandem. The nurse smiled and soon the sounds of their baby's heart filled the room as the couple settled in for the long day ahead of them.

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**Thanks for Reading!**

**Phew! One more chapter done. I hope this wasn't too bogged down in medical jargon. I did warn at the beginning that I was going to make this as realistic as possible so hopefully it wasn't too boring! I also want to point out that I am not a medical practitioner, so there is no real education to back up anything I said, just general knowledge and experience. I also want to point out that just because I have the hospital/nurse/doctor do something, doesn't mean I agree with it. I am just trying to keep it as believable as possible. For example, most hospitals don't let you eat during labor. I don't agree with that, but to keep the story accurate I went with it. There are several different labor and delivery methods out there. I am choosing to follow one I am familiar with and one I think works with the outline of the episode; Lindsay walking, no drugs, Danny and Lindsay's personalities, etc. I am not saying one way is right and the other is wrong. I just want to be clear on that!**


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